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The 2019 Cricket World Cup heads to England and Wales this summer, with the ten best one-day sides battling it out to be crowned champions. Read on for some 2019 Cricket World Cup betting insight.
- Who will win the Cricket World Cup?
- Inform your Cricket World Cup predictions
- Cricket World Cup team guides
What factors should bettors consider?
The competition match-ups are contested over 50 overs, each team must use a minimum of five bowlers, and those bowlers are allowed to bowl a maximum of 10 overs each. The team who scores the most runs in the 50 over period will be deemed the winner.
Cricket has many factors to consider before placing a bet. The different rules for each format will influence betting decisions – something that is explained in Pinnacle’s How to Bet on Cricket guide. This article takes a look at areas bettors should think about before placing a bet on The 2019 Cricket World Cup.
Cricket World Cup team guides
Afghanistan
Outright odds: 95.32*
Afghanistan are a side that comes into the 2019 World Cup with plenty of potential. Their team includes players such as Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who bettors will be aware of due to the T20 leagues. It is very unlikely they have the team to go all the way, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them pull off an upset somewhere in the tournament.
It has been an encouraging build up to the World Cup for the outsiders, with wins over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh whilst narrowly losing by three wickets to Pakistan and a draw with India showing that they cannot be overlooked, even when facing some of the tournament favourites.
Most recent 2019 results: LWLWTLLWW
Key player: Rashid Khan
England
Outright odds: 3.16*
England are the team in form coming into the World Cup and are justified favourites to lift the trophy. The edge in the outright betting market is due to the ease in which they have dispatched their opponents in the lead up to the tournament, and their top order in the batting is extremely powerful, whilst possessing real variation with the ball.
The host nation are positioned in the best possible position to win the trophy and it is likely the best opportunity they have had for many years to be crowned champions. They have made three late changes, bringing in pace bowler Jofra Archer, all-rounder Tom Curran and off-spinner Liam Dawson, which looks a positive move. Their squad for the tournament certainly has the ability go all the way.
Most recent 2019 results: WWWLWLWW
Key player: Jonny Bairstow
Sri Lanka
Outright odds: 30.59*
It is a challenging time for Sri Lankan cricket, and they come into the tournament as one of the main outsiders in the betting. They have just one win in their last ten matches and are a team that is constantly rotated with very little consistency in the squad.
There was no room in their squad selection for Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella and spinner Akila Dananjaya which comes as a surprise. The Sri Lankans would need a complete change of form and fortune to be considered amongst the tournament’s top sides, and eight-straight losses including a rather embarrassing one against Scotland recently is not the kind of form that will attract bettors to their price of 30.59.
Most recent 2019 results: LLLLLLLLWL
Key player: Lasith Malinga
India
Outright odds: 3.89*
India come into the tournament in great form and lead the ICC player rankings with two batsmen and three bowlers among top 10. They also possess the number one batsman in the prolific Virat Kohli, who is the batsman with the highest average in the last two years. They also have number one bowler Jasprit Bumrah in their squad, whose speed and skill will be essential if they are to win the tournament.
Kohli will hope to lead India to a third World Cup title and alongside England they look the most likely side to win the tournament.
Most recent 2019 results: LLLWWWLWWW
Key player: Virat Kohli
Bangladesh
Outright odds: 58.98*
Bangladesh come into the 2019 World Cup with minimal expectations. They are a solid team and enjoyable to watch in some areas, particularly pace bowling, but are missing key ingredients in others to be competitive in the outright betting.
Bangladesh’s current form is mixed, and they are skilled enough to cause a shock on the day but unlikely to be consistent enough to take them any further than the group stages. They possess talent in their squad, with Mustafizur Rahman as one of the best pace bowlers in world cricket, but bettors should expect them to entertain rather than be competitive at the business end of the tournament.
Most recent 2019 results: LLLWLWWWWL
Key player: Mashrafe Mortaza
Pakistan
Outright odds: 11.82*
It has not been a good year for Pakistan in ODI cricket. This side is more than capable of playing some top-class cricket but also capable of self-destructing. Veteran fast bowlers Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz have been recalled to Pakistan’s 15-man squad after a whitewash loss to England in the one-day series recently and they are an extremely difficult side to predict.
This is a young side that have been together for the best part of three years now and with the likes of Babar Azam (one of the world’s best batters), Imam-ul-Haq (who is capable of scoring runs at the highest level), and leg spinner Shadab Khan who has been superb, they could prove to be the wildcard of the betting pack.
Most recent 2019 results: LLLLLLLLW
Key player: Babar Azam
New Zealand
New Zealand have a solid-looking team, a commanding and energetic side that is accomplished enough in all areas of the 15-man squad to be considered a serious threat to the tournament favourites.
Kane Williamson is very strong in bat, and Ross Taylor, Colin Munro, and Martin Guptill also provide real quality and a quick and powerful fast bowling player in Trent Boult, means they have a team that looks solid enough to be there at the final stages of the tournament. Bettors should expect the Kiwis to pose problems and be competitive with any side they play.
Outright odds: 10.63*
Most recent 2019 results: WWWLWLLLW
Key player: Kane Williamson
South Africa
Outright odds: 8.88*
This South Africa team could be considered one of their weaker squads recently but there is no doubting that they still possess serious quality in their ranks. Injuries could be an issue and they will need their top men firing if they are to go all the way in the tournament.
Opening batsman Quinton de Kock is a player that can be key for South Africa with his ability to score runs quickly. But it’s likely their progression through the tournament will rely on their bowlers Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, and Dale Steyn who possess plenty of pace to go alongside top leg-spinner Imran Tahir, the top wicket-taker in this year’s Indian Premier League.
Most recent 2019 results: WWWWWWLWWL
Key player: Quinton de Kock
West Indies
Outright odds: 17.39*
The West Indies come into the tournament as a rejuvenated side and have a realistic outside chance of liftintg the trophy if their key players can perform to the level they are capable of. The pyramid of West Indies cricket has witnessed considerable change recently and bettors should not read too much into the recent form of this exciting side who are most certainly on the up.
Whilst all the talk is about how well Chris Gayle will perform and his final swansong their key player could be Andre Russell. The 31 year-old is powerful with the ball, a big hitter with the bat and nimble in the field. He is also entering the tournament in fine form having been named the Indian Premier League’s most valuable player this season, partly down to 52 sixes in 14 matches. The Windies will need him firing, and stand a genuine chance of being the live outsider in the outright betting.
Most recent 2019 results: LWLWWLWLL
Key player: Andre Russell
Australia
Outright odds: 5.110*
In a strange turn of events over the past year, Australia head into the World Cup in great form with a serious chance of defending their title. Australia’s captain and vice-captain were suspended for ball-tampering this time last year, but the return of both players, Steve Smith and David Warner, coupled with an upturn in form of the entire team mean they will be a threat. Strong, varied bowling, give the Aussies a very realistic chance of success.
Much like the West Indies, bettors shouldn’t read too much into the Aussies past form from last year, as they are a much more settled, confident side under Aaron Finch’s shrewd guidance and look to have found a way to make things work finally.
Most recent 2019 results: WWWWWWWWLL
Key player: Aaron Finch
Cricket World Cup betting: Where is the value?
Based on recent form it is hard to look past England and India in the outright betting. England will have the help of home advantage and their team that looks the most settled. A talented squad that possesses the likes of Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Eoin Morgan, and Moeen Ali, they don’t seem to have any real major weaknesses.
The team to keep a close eye on are Afghanistan from the outsiders. After a remarkable story, they managed to secure a tie against No.2 seed India recently and they have proven themselves to be a capable team who can compete against anyone on their day. It is likely out of reach that they will go all the way, but a semi-final spot could be potential value to bettors.
For bettors looking to alternative markets, the top batsman and bowler is always a popular one. Virat Kohli is being pinpointed as a hot favourite for top run scorer, but as outstanding a batsman as he is, the stats suggest he’s an unjustified favourite. Elsewhere, Jonny Bairstow may give serious competition to the top field, and comes into the tournament in excellent form. South African pairing Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock are both ranked in the world’s top five ODI batsmen, whilst Kane Williamson of New Zealand is also one to keep an eye on.
For bowlers, one-day cricket can be demanding but matches are often won with the ball rather than the bat, and at just 20 years old, Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan is already one of the world’s best, and ended last year as the leading ODI wicket-taker, so is worth considering. Pat Cummins, has taken 17 wickets in six matches so far this year, and has been the world’s most effective ODI bowler. Whilst Jasprit Bumrah tops the list of ODI bowlers on recent form, and will certainly be in the mix as the tournament progresses.